America’s Richest Families, Visualized In One Chart

In 1916, John D. Rockefeller became America’s first official billionaire, as the Standard Oil founder’s fortune swelled to nearly 2% of the country’s economy. Rockefeller would give more than $500 million to philanthropic causes during his life, an impressive figure that hardly put a dent in his finances. At the time of his death in 1937, the Rockefeller family fortune was $1.4 billion, or $24 billion in today’s dollars.

The Wealthiest Families in America

American billionaires have come and gone since Rockefeller, propelled by the strongest economy in the history of the world. Some of these wealthy individuals succumbed to the old “shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves” adage, failing to keep riches trickling down their bloodline. Others excelled at managing their finances and saving money to create generational wealth.

The infographic below, which looks beyond individuals like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, showcases America’s very best wealth accumulating families. Altogether, $1.2 trillion is held by the 50 families below. And yes, seven generations later, the Rockefellers are still hanging around.

Building Family Wealth

Want to get started building your own generational wealth? Starting early matters. Knowing how to chart your investment path matters. Using the right tools matters. And more often than not, it helps to set it and forget it.

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Infographic via Visual Capitalist.